


an alliance of the heart

by matslightwood (unbrokengibberish)



Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-04
Updated: 2017-08-04
Packaged: 2018-12-11 04:31:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,085
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11706876
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/unbrokengibberish/pseuds/matslightwood
Summary: Magnus leaves Alec. Clary discovers a new rune. And they all find their way back to each other.-or-My take on the events after 2x18.





	an alliance of the heart

**Author's Note:**

> I have not and will not read the mortal instruments series so I just googled what the alliance rune is. Anyway, I hope you enjoy. This is angsty and cliche!
> 
> All mistakes are my own

It’d only been a few days since Magnus had left Alec alone in that hallway. Had left Alec uncertain of everything in his life. Had left Alec. 

But the world didn’t stop. Not for either of them. Not when there was war on the horizon, a manipulative queen, and a madman and his son gods know where. 

Alec had reverted, gone back to a version of himself before Magnus. He couldn’t turn it all off, but he could keep his emotions, his real feelings, at bay long enough. He walked around the institute like everything bothered him. If he didn’t keep the hard look on his face, he was going to crack. 

The flood of tears was reserved for his bedroom. His cold, unwelcoming bedroom that only made him miss Magnus that much more. 

The hard look on his face only magnified when Luke called a meeting of the Downworlder Cabinet that Alec had started thinking it would actually make a difference. Fuck the Clave for ruining yet another part of his life. 

Alec sat in the conference room, Luke on his left, Raphael on his right, and Magnus across from him. Alec couldn’t look at him. Couldn’t see the face he could no longer touch, the lips he could no longer kiss, the arms that could provide no more comfort. 

Luke filled him in on the happenings of the Seelie court and all the queen had demanded of them. Raphael chimed in on how Simon, for some unknown reason, had decided to talk to her himself. She wasn’t exactly thrilled on that front it seemed. 

Magnus remained eerily quiet and Alec just listened intently. 

He didn’t know what to do and he told them as much. This had gotten out of hand, way beyond his own confidence of control, and he just didn’t know what to do anymore. 

Luke clapped him on the shoulder. He understood. The Clave was all Alec knew. But one day, and one day soon, from the looks of it Alec was going to have to figure out what to do. 

The cabinet broke up and before Alec had time to look up from the table Magnus had vanished. Raphael looked particularly upset at that. 

“Dios, Lightwood, what did you do to him? He was my ride,” Raphael mused somewhat sarcastically. 

Alec just glared, got up from his chair, and practically ran back to his office. 

The flood broke just as he closed the door.   
///

A soft knock came a few moments later. Alec was huddled behind his desk, but he stood up and wiped harshly at his face. 

“What?” he barked, flinching at the harshness of his own voice. 

“Alec, I have something I need to show you,” Clary’s small voice came from the other side of the door. 

“It’s important,” Jace provided. 

“Come in,” Alec said, sitting back down in his chair. When he looked up at them, they both stifled gasps. 

“Oh Alec…” Clary whispered, sympathy lacing her voice. He couldn’t take that. 

“I’m fine! What did you need to show me?” His voice was louder than necessary but he was about four seconds away from breaking down again. Every time he thought he had it together, he just pictured Magnus’s face as those elevator doors shut. 

Clary flinched a little, but stood her ground. “A new rune came to me. I think it could help, make a big difference in the battle against Valentine.” Clary showed him a sketch of the rune. 

“What is it?” 

“It’s an alliance rune. It will allow the Downworlders and Shadowhunters to share their abilities with each other. It could double our strength, our chance in taking down Valentine.” 

Alec’s eyes widened a little. “How is that possible?” 

“Maybe the angel isn’t as against the Downworld as Valentine might believe,” Jace said. 

“There’s one problem. No Downworlder in his right mind is going to agree to share their powers with us. If you hadn’t noticed, that’s kind of the problem.” 

“That’s not entirely true,” piped up another voice, as Simon ducked into the door. “Clary already talked to me about it and I’m in, whatever it takes.” 

“I caught Luke before he left,” Clary started. “He’s in as well and he thinks with a few examples that more of the downworld will be in.” 

“Clary, this is great, but…” his voice broke and he closed his mouth. “I don’t know what I’m doing.” 

“Then let us help you. Just because you’re the head, doesn’t mean you have to do all of this on your own, Alec. The Clave was wrong in hiding the Soul Sword. We need to prove to the Downworld that we don’t condone their behavior, but we also need to take Valentine and Jonathan out now, before it’s too late.” 

“We don’t have the Downworld support we need to Jace. We have the wolves, apparently, and maybe some of the vampires, but that’s it.” 

“Alec, you know that Magnus isn’t---” 

“No! I don’t know that Magnus’s isn’t anything. I don’t know what he’s doing or what he’s thinking and I’m not going to know. I lost that right when I lied to him about something that could destroy his whole people. So I don’t know anything about him or the warlocks or who they are siding with. The Seelies most certainly won’t side with us. I just don’t know.” 

“Let us gather some intel, boss. We’ll report back to you as soon as we can,” Jace said, starting to shoo Clary and Simon out of the room. Alec just waved them off his hand, turning back to his desk. 

What was he going to do?

///

A few hours later, Alec was still sitting at his desk when a hesitant knock sounded on his door. 

“Come in,” he said, not looking up. He heard the door open, but nothing after that. 

When he finally looked up, he froze, breath caught in his throat. 

“What are you doing here?” he asked Magnus who seemed to be just as frozen at his place in the door. 

“I got a visit from your brother,” Magnus said, staring over Alec’s shoulder. 

“I’m sorry Jace bothered you,” Alec replied looking back down at the paperwork in front of him. He’d been staring at the same piece of paper for hours not doing anything with it. 

“Not Jace. You people really need to keep a better eye on Max.” 

Alec thought he heard a fondness in Magnus’s voice at the mention of his younger brother, but he ignored it in favor of the information. 

“Wait, Max went over to your place?” 

“Yes. He had Clary portal him there. Biscuit really needs to stop playing with runes that she doesn’t understand. The loft was a mess when he stepped in.” 

Alec ignored the use of the word “the” instead of “my” when Magnus described his home. “I’m sorry he bothered you. I’ll talk to him later.” 

“Alexander…” 

“Don’t.” Just the sound of his full name on Magnus’s lips hurt like a thousand daggers puncturing his skin. 

“Alec, he told me about Clary’s rune.” 

“Didn’t you just say that Clary needs to stop playing with things she doesn’t understand.” 

“This is different.” Magnus paused. “This could mean something huge. If the Downworld sees that your institute cares enough about them to join forces, literally, that might make a world of difference.” 

“Magnus,” Alec said, his voice cracking. He cleared his throat and continued, “You’ve already made it pretty clear that you don’t intend to fight on our side. I can’t promise you anything and Clary can’t be sure that this rune could really do anything.” 

“I made it clear that I wasn’t fighting with the Clave, that doesn’t have to mean I’m fighting against you. The Seelie Queen is out of control. She doesn’t just want to win a war, she wants to change the course of history. All I want is my people’s protection. And against my better judgement, I trust you with that.” 

“Magnus, I---” 

“I know you didn’t mean to hurt me. I know you didn’t want to hide the Sword from me. But you did and that can’t be changed. But we can move forward. I trust you, Alexander. I trust that you know how to think for yourself. I believe that you can help make a difference. And at the moment that difference starts with defeating Valentine and his demonic son once and for all. So if you’ll have me, I’ll follow you into battle.” 

Alec was lost for words. He knew if he tried to say anything he’d end up breaking down. Magnus trusted him, still, after everything he’d done. That was more than enough for Alec for now. 

So instead of saying anything, he nodded, stood up, and held out his hand for Magnus to take. Magnus grasped his hand in a firm shake. And if they lingered longer than appropriate, no one had to know. 

/// 

Hours later, they all stood in the command room. The wolves, the vampires, about two-thirds of the warlocks, and even a handful of seelies stood in the room with the New York Shadowhunters. 

“It’s not going to be easy. Valentine is a madman with a demonic sidekick and a bunch of powerful allies, but that doesn’t mean we don’t stand a chance. We’ve all made mistakes, me so more than anyone else. I should have come to all of you with the information about the Sword as soon as I learned about it and for that I am truly sorry. But now we all face a greater doom. Now we have to stand together. We have to form our own alliances.” Alec stood in front of everyone, hands behind his back like the soldier he’d been trained to be, but his eyes lingered on Magnus. “Now, Clary has something to show us all.” 

Clary showed them the rune, explained what she knew about it, and clearly stated that she wasn’t sure what would happen if they used it. They all knew it was a risk, but it was their best chance, so when Clary asked for volunteers, it wasn’t a shock to anyone when Magnus and Alec were the first to do so. 

Magnus took Alec’s stele and wrapped his hand around Alec’s forearm, before carefully drawing one half of the rune into Alec’s flesh. Alec looked into Magnus’s face the whole time and when he finished Alec took the stele back. “Are you sure?” he asked. Magnus nodded and Alec drew the matching rune into Magnus’s skin as carefully as he could. 

The whole room held their breaths. 

As soon as the rune was complete, Alec felt a surge of power wash over him, unlike anything he’d ever felt before. Magnus met his gaze and they both gasped as the connection worked its way through them. 

///

They’d been fighting for days. It felt like there was no end in sight. The alliance runes were helping, there was a deeper connection between the worlds both physically and mentally. But it was only just helping. 

Alec and Magnus were running down the beach, a huge flying demon following them. Alec ducked just in time to avoid the flying ball of fiery magic that Magnus flung above him, sending the monster all the way back to hell. 

But he tripped, a pain searing in his shoulder, he crashed to the ground. 

Magnus ran back towards him. “Alexander!” He called, falling to his knees next to where Alec was lying. Blood was seeping out of Alec’s shoulder. 

“Magnus, I’m fine. Go!” Alec yelled even as he grasped his shoulder in pain. Magnus laid a hand on the wound. “Don’t. You need to save your strength.” 

“I’m not leaving you.” 

“Magnus, just---”

“I. Am. Not. Leaving. You.” His cat eyes flared as he pushed magic through Alec’s body. “I’m not leaving you again.” 

Alec raised his hand to rest on Magnus’s neck. Magnus met his eye. “I’m not letting you go.” And with war raging around them and Magnus still healing Alec’s wound, Magnus surged forward and captured Alec’s lips in a bruising kiss. 

“Guys!” Jace screamed at them from a distance and they pulled away from each other. “We’re kind of in the middle of something here.” 

Alec cracked a smile for the first time in a week and Magnus couldn’t help but return it. “I love you,” Magnus said. 

“I love you too,” Alec replied, leaning his forehead against Magnus’s. “Now let’s go win this war.”


End file.
